App developer Cypad delivers bespoke dashboard auditing solution for food travel experts SSP UK

A fresher view

“We deliver rewarding food experiences across a UK network that spans

20 airports and more than 130 rail stations,” says Lee Osborn, Head of

Customer Experience and Operational Excellence at SSP. “To get it right every

day requires experienced, dedicated staff and precise, actionable business-

critical data. This is where effective auditing is paramount. Our audits form the

backbone of our operations, showing us where we are and what we need to do

to continue leading the market.”

However, in 2010 SSP UK’s growing success was creating its own problems.

The SSP UK auditing team was under real pressure to deliver detailed audit

reports with tools that were no longer fit for purpose.

When you have achieved a global reputation for delivering exceptional customer service you’ll work hard maintain it. That is the driving force behind food travel experts SSP, who provide high quality food and beverage experiences for customers in 29 countries around the world. SSP UK demonstrates the same passion for service excellence. With intense pressure to maintain the highest standards, SSP UK decided the time was right to transform the way it looked at – and interpreted – its business data.

Client Problem: Transform operational audits by replacing outdated processes and technology

Cypad Solution: Bespoke real-time auditing dashboard – robust, integrated, and highly customisable

Client Benefits: Greatly improved operational efficiency with faster, more accurate audits, and reduced administration costs

“Cypad really understood the business and the complexity of our offering – their solution is absolutely fantastic.” Lee Osborn, Head of Customer Experience and Operational Excellence, SSP UK

According to Lee, the situation at SSP UK was, in fact, “a nightmare.” Seven

auditors including Lee were tasked with carrying out audits across 750

stores, four times a year, “using a pen and paper and an Excel spreadsheet”.

The extensive reports included sections on standards, controls, legalities,

productivity and the customer experience – a very labour-intensive process and

one open to human error. It was clear to Lee that SSP UK needed to find a smarter

solution more appropriate to the growing needs of a successful business.

An integrated auditing solution“We decided that we needed an integrated auditing solution with accurate

reports that could be accessed quickly across the company by our store

managers, area managers, and Chief Operating Officer,” says Lee. “To do this

we needed a partner with extensive technical expertise, industry knowledge,

and a strong customer-focus. We decided to talk to Cypad.”

Cypad provides tablet and web-based app solutions for catering and service

organisations. SSP UK had already worked with Cypad who had supplied

‘Monitor’, a software application enabling SSP UK to monitor their business

operations through custom-built audits.

“We drilled deeper to understand what Lee wanted from the new auditing

solution,” explains Samitha Dharmarathna, Senior Developer, Cypad. “We also

drew on our specialist knowledge gained from providing software solutions

for a wide variety of catering organisations since 2002. Working with, Lee we

developed an integrated dashboard that would enable SSP UK to carry out

complex audits in a straightforward way and then share the audits quickly with

their store network.”

At the time SSP UK were using older systems, browsers and internet connections.

Samitha and the team adapted the core Cypad application to meet the needs

of the available technolog. They also re-worked the dashboard implementation

so that the older SSP UK systems were able to process data more efficiently.

Lee was impressed with the “joined-up, automated processes” of the

dashboard and the new auditing capability afforded to SSP UK:

“Cypad really understood the business and the complexity of our offering.

They were able to break down this complexity and produce a simple and

straightforward solution that enabled us to better extract and utilise business-

critical data. What we have now is absolutely fantastic.”

For Cypad, the project has also proved beneficial:

“This has been a very satisfying project to deliver as well as a valuable learning

experience for us,” says Samitha. “We were able to trial new tools on the

dashboard which has made the application faster and more agile. A very

successful result for SSP, and for Cypad.”

Nick Towndrow is the Compliance and Control Auditor for SSP UK. For him,

the Cypad solution has had a significant impact on the way he works: “It has

changed my business life! I have dramatically cut the paperwork and reduced

the time taken to carry out an audit. There is also very little margin for error –

the application functionality enables us to monitor the business very precisely.

And as well as identifying areas for improvement we also record good practice,

enabling us to provide encouragement and recognition for a job well done.”

“As well as being a satisfying project to deliver this has also been a valuable learning experience for us.”Samitha Dharmarathna, Senior Developer, Cypad

Nick Towndrow, Compliance and Control Auditor, SSP UK

Evolving Dashboard capabilitiesThe Cypad Dashboard has evolved over time from a monitoring package

and auditing tool into very comprehensive application that meets a range of

specific needs for SSP UK. New functionality included valuable tools such as

the HR Tracker. SSP UK is able to highlight HR needs and responsibilities

related to the legalities of employment/employment contracts, as well as

make HR documentation available to staff.

“The Cypad HR Tracker tool transformed what was an ugly spreadsheet into

an efficient, proactive tool, enabling SSP to monitor employment processes

and respond to staff and company needs,” says Lee. “Even for something

simple such as performance appraisal tasks, the introduction of automated

notices and reminders has proved to be a really useful production tool.”

Other key functionality enables SSP UK to:

• Provide staff with an assessments tool so they can test themselves on

their product knowledge, and management can view the results

• Record scores made by external audits

• Make and record random SSP management site inspections

• Monitor and audit Rail Gourmet (owned by SSP UK) operations

• Gather more detailed site data through a customisable

Operational Database

• Apply the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme to their services.

“This project demonstrates Cypad’s capability to deliver robust and flexible software solutions, along with the adaptability to customise dashboards for specific requirements.” Jonn Fredericks, Managing Director, Cypad

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Praveen Kumar is one of three SSP UK Multi-Unit

Managers at Bristol Temple Meads, with responsibility

for Upper Crust and The Pasty Shop.

Praveen divides his time between providing face-to-

face customer service at the two outlets and carrying

out daily service quality checks. He uses a standard

smartphone to access the Cypad apps, looking at a

range of prescribed tasks including food quality, external

displays and presentation, maintenance issues, and staff

competency.

“The Cypad apps provide me with a faster, more

accurate alternative to traditional pen and paper” says

Praveen. “The apps reduce our admin time considerably,

enabling us to have more face-to-face contact with the

customer. The comprehensive task list also ensures that

our service checks are thorough, with very little margin

for error.”

Praveen Kumar, Multi-Unit Manager, SSP, Bristol Temple Meads

“I get more time for the customer”